4 research outputs found
Determination of the Fermi Velocity by Angle-dependent Periodic Orbit Resonance Measurements in the Organic Conductor alpha-(BEDT-TTF)2KHg(SCN)4
We report detailed angle-dependent studies of the microwave (f=50 to 90 GHz)
interlayer magneto-electrodynamics of a single crystal sample of the organic
charge-density-wave (CDW) conductor alpha-(BEDT-TTF)2KHg(SCN)4. Recently
developed instrumentation enables both magnetic field (B) sweeps for a fixed
sample orientation and, for the first time, angle sweeps at fixed f/B. We
observe series' of resonant absorptions which we attribute to periodic orbit
resonances (POR) - a phenomenon closely related to cyclotron resonance. The
angle dependence of the POR indicate that they are associated with the low
temperature quasi-one-dimensional (Q1D) Fermi surface (FS) of the title
compound; indeed, all of the resonance peaks collapse beautifully onto a single
set of f/B versus angle curves, generated using a semiclassical
magneto-transport theory for a single Q1D FS. We show that Q1D POR measurements
provide one of the most direct methods for determining the Fermi velocity,
without any detailed assumptions concerning the bandstructure; our analysis
yields an average value of v_F=6.5x10^4 m/s. Quantitative analysis of the POR
harmonic content indicates that the Q1D FS is strongly corrugated. This is
consistent with the assumption that the low-temperature FS derives from a
reconstruction of the high temperature quasi-two-dimensional FS, caused by the
CDW instability. Detailed analysis of the angle dependence of the POR yields
parameters associated with the CDW superstructure which are consistent with
published results. Finally, we address the issue as to whether or not the
interlayer electrodynamics are coherent in the title compound.Comment: 28 pages, including 6 figures. Submitted to PR
On the Relationship Between the Critical Temperature and the London Penetration Depth in Layered Organic Superconductors
We present an analysis of previously published measurements of the London
penetration depth of layered organic superconductors. The predictions of the
BCS theory of superconductivity are shown to disagree with the measured zero
temperature, in plane, London penetration depth by up to two orders of
magnitude. We find that fluctuations in the phase of the superconducting order
parameter do not determine the superconducting critical temperature as the
critical temperature predicted for a Kosterlitz--Thouless transition is more
than an order of magnitude greater than is found experimentally for some
materials. This places constraints on theories of superconductivity in these
materials.Comment: 5 pages, 1 figur
Critical State Behaviour in a Low Dimensional Metal Induced by Strong Magnetic Fields
We present the results of magnetotransport and magnetic torque measurements
on the alpha-(BEDT-TTF)2KHg(SCN)4 charge-transfer salt within the high magnetic
field phase, in magnetic fields extending to 33 T and temperatures as low as 27
mK. While the high magnetic field phase (at fields greater than ~ 23 T) is
expected, on theoretical grounds, to be either a modulated charge-density wave
phase or a charge/spin-density wave hybrid, the resistivity undergoes a
dramatic drop below ~ 3 K within the high magnetic field phase, falling in an
approximately exponential fashion at low temperatures, while the magnetic
torque exhibits pronounced hysteresis effects. This hysteresis, which occurs
over a broad range of fields, is both strongly temperature-dependent and has
several of the behavioural characteristics predicted by critical-state models
used to describe the pinning of vortices in type II superconductors in strong
magnetic fields. Thus, rather than exhibiting the usual behaviour expected for
a density wave ground state, both the transport and the magnetic properties of
alpha-(BEDT-TTF)2KHg(SCN)4, at high magnetic fields, closely resembles those of
a type II superconductor